Local California Historic Landmarks and Markers

A Guide to City, County and Private Historical Markers and Landmarks

Oct 6, 2009 Linda Gentile

California's cities and counties designated historic landmarks by the hundred. What they miss is picked up by private organizations in an incredible historical richesse.

California is famous for its gold rush, and has more than just a small wealth of state-run historical markers and landmarks. On top of all these, however, it offers the visitor numerous local marker systems in addition to the offerings of several very active historical groups.

Local Historical Marker and Landmark Systems in California

Numerous cities, from Benicia to San Diego, designate landmarks and put up plaques. San Diego has at least two marker systems, one for its official landmarks and one for the historic Gas Lamp Quarter. Monterey has designated a walking tour – just follow the marks in the sidewalk – and peppered its route with museums and markers. This tour is more than enough for one day.

San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento and other cities large and small have landmark and marker systems. The National Park Service lists nearly 60 California cities and counties with Certified Local Government status, a preservation certification that allows the cities access to grant money and lets them set up official landmark systems.

The lack of CLG status does not stop numerous other towns in California from setting up their own marker systems – examples of such maverick marker schemes include Julian, an hour from San Diego; Weaverville, in rural northern California; and Milpitas, in the eastern half of Silicon Valley.

Private Organizations Which Actively Erect Historical Markers in California

Many organizations such as the Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden West, Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution and E Clampus Vitus are active in the plaque-placing field. Between them they have put up hundreds of private historical markers around the state, sometimes at the same historic site.

E Clampus Vitus, a men-only "drinking and historical society" claims it has its California roots in the Gold Rush mining days, when it would play pranks to keep the miners' minds off the harsh realities of mining. Its markers are often distinguished by an image of a donkey.

The other organizations are rather more staid. The Daughters of the American Revolution is a genealogical society for which entry requirements involve proving descent from American Revolution stock. The DAR was officially incorporated in 1896; markers usually include a spoked wheel. The Sons of the American Revolution requires similar proof of lineage.

The Sons and Daughters of the Golden West, again two separate but sibling organizations, operate on similar lines to the DAR and SAR, but with a particular interest in California pioneer heritage. They, too, are prolific marker-posters.

Countless other private individuals and local groups also erect historical markers in California, so along with the various state historic landmark systems, a marker afficionado is unlikely to run out of places to visit any time soon. Whether she runs out of steam or not is another matter entirely.

The copyright of the article Local California Historic Landmarks and Markers in Historical Travel is owned by Linda Gentile. Permission to republish Local California Historic Landmarks and Markers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

California Local Historical Marker